Welcome to Inspired By...Adapted By. Visiting other blogs and websites has inspired me to create some of my own recipes. I've also adapted recipes I've found online and in books to fit either special dietary needs or design needs. All recipes are my own (as inspired by or adapted from) and will give credit to the original artist. My specialty is cupcakes, but I love anything sweet! I hope that this blog will inspire you to whip something up in your kitchen today.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Cherry Kuchen Bars

Ok a break from the drab. I gave you some snacking tips, the baking powder recipe I use and I can hardly stand it....off to a real recipe. Trust me this is worth it. Get the ingredients tomorrow AND MAKE THIS! Yummy! I won't tell you how much of it I ate today :)

Instructions:
Combine fruit and sugar in a large sauce pan and stir together. (If cherries are really firm add up to 1/2 cup of water- mine were very ripe so I didn't add water). Bring to a boil.

Mix 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons cold water. Whisk to make sure there are no lumps.

When cherries are boiling, add thickening while stirring constantly to prevent any lumps. Mixture will thicken and slightly reduce as you continue to simmer it. If it's not thickening to the desire you want add more thickening agent. Continue to stir and allow to bubble until juices run clear or there are no more tiny pink bubbles on top. Make sure you don't over cook the cherries or they will break down. Set aside and prepare your dough

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer beat butter and shortening on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally (or get the new beater that scrapes the sides as you go and you don't have to stop!!!). Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour until mixed. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of an ungreased 15x10x1 baking pan.

*I tried a 13x9 the second time I made it and it wasn't the same so stick to the 15x10x1.
*also I didn't grease the first time and I'd grease the sides just because the cherry filling can stick to the side, but I wouldn't grease the bottom because of the shortening in the dough.

Bake the bottom dough layer for 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and spread the pie filling over the crust in the pan. Spoon reserved dough into small mounds over the pie filling.

Bake from 30 minutes more or until top is light brown. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Icing. Cool; cut into bars. Makes about 32.